1. They attract the world’s best musicians
There’s some serious talent on offer this year, whether it’s heavyweight conductors like Esa-Pekka Salonen, Gustavo Dudamel, Daniel Barenboim and Sir Simon Rattle, top vocalists like Juan Diego Flórez and Bryn Terfel, or stars of the new generation like the cellist Sol Gabetta and the violinist Tai Murray.